Lobban Marks Bratislava Breakthrough
by Howard Harding
17 December 2012 - Scotland's Greg Lobban rounded off his maiden year as a member of the Professional Squash Assocation in perfect style by winning his first PSA World Tour title at the PSA Imet Open in the Slovakia capital Bratislava.
Competing in only his ninth Tour event, the Inverness-born 20-year-old was the eighth seed in the PSA Challenger 5 event at the Imet Squash Centrum.
Lobban, ranked outside the top 100, made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals - defeating Austria's No2 seed Aqeel Rehman before going on to oust fifth-seeded Frenchman Lucas Serme in the semis.
But his final opponent was also on a roll: Englishman Joel Hinds, the third seed, claimed his unexpected place in the climax after upsetting Denmark's top seed Rasmus Nielsen in a five-game semi-final.
Lobban had the winning post in his sights, however, and defeated Hinds 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 to become the first Scottish winner of a PSA Tour title for more than two years.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Imet Open, Bratislava, Slovakia
1st round:
[2] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [Q] Marek Manik (SVK) 11-3, 11-4, 11-8
Johan Bouquet (FRA) bt [Q] Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5
Alex Phillips (ENG) bt [Q] Mark Fuller (ENG) 11-3, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7
[8] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-7, 11-2, 11-7
[5] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Reuben Phillips (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt [Q] Miroslav Celler (SVK) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5
Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt [Q] Tom de Mulder (BEL) 11-8, 12-10, 14-12
[4] Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt Daniel West (ENG) w/o
[3] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Patrick Miescher (SUI) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5
Reiko Peter (SUI) bt [Q] Karamatullah Khan (PAK) 11-2, 11-3, 8-11, 11-6
Chris Fuller (ENG) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 12-10, 11-4, 11-7
Andre Haschker (GER) bt [7] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-7
Florent Pontiere (FRA) bt [6] Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-9, 7-11, 2-11, 13-11, 11-4
Michael Harris (ENG) bt [Q] David Haley (WAL) 15-13, 13-11, 15-13
James Earles (ENG) bt [Q] Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 10-12, 11-1, 11-6, 11-3
[1] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) bt Roman Svec (CZE) 11-3, 11-3, 11-4
2nd round:
[2] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) 5-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9
[8] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Alex Phillips (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5
[5] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 11-2, 11-4, 11-5
Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt [4] Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-9, 11-1, 11-7
[3] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Reiko Peter (SUI) 12-10, 11-4, 11-7
Chris Fuller (ENG) bt Andre Haschker (GER) 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-4
Michael Harris (ENG) bt Florent Pontiere (FRA) 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7
[1] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) bt James Earles (ENG) 9-11, 14-12, 14-12, 11-6
Quarter-finals:
[8] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [2] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6
[5] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8
[3] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7
[1] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) bt Michael Harris (ENG) 11-8, 11-2, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[8] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [5] Lucas Serme (FRA) 5-11, 11-5, 2-11, 11-8, 11-4
[3] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt [1] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) 11-13, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8
Final:
[8] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [3] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6
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